


SUPERHUMAN

by citruscake



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: 127 vs WAYV, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Monsters, OT21 (NCT), Other, Pandemics, Paranormal, Post-Apocalypse, Post-War, Science Fiction, Spirits, Spiritual, Superpowers, Time Travel, War, Witchcraft, ft. exo, ft. got7 - Freeform, ft. vixx, if you wanna feel it say yeAAAAAh, johnny is a time traveler, no ships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:42:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25297831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/citruscake/pseuds/citruscake
Summary: in which time-traveler Johnny Suh finds himself stuck in 2019, 7 years after the end of the world. due to a pandemic, the majority of human life has been replaced with radioactive green monsters, and two organizations are locked in a race to find the cure. johnny finds himself at the mercy of US-based organization 127, and discovers he might be the key to ending the race.no ships, no love stories, just a good ol' fight between good and evil.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. Prelude, Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello everyone! i started writing this fic in 2019, and decided to finally transfer it to ao3. i hope you enjoy. :)

The following is a voice recording, found in the NCT Database.

MAY 20, 2019

Is this thing still working? Hello? Oh, good.

They say that history repeats itself, that we, the human race, are forever doomed to never learn from the mistakes our ancestors made. And maybe that's for the best, you might think: maybe that is our curse upon this planet, that our god, goddess, whatever higher power we believe in has cursed us with.

But, good or bad, all things must come to an end, right? I think that's where I've found myself today.

My name is John Suh. I am a time traveler for the Department of History, based in my hometown of Chicago, the year 2008. But today, I find myself far, far from home, in a place that feels familiar, yet so, so wrong.

Lots of thoughts are going through my mind as I take in my surroundings - my time travel watch is broken, and I may never see the conclusion of Jersey Shore. There's an ocean nearby, a breeze carrying the mutated sounds of what I think was once seagulls at some point. As I look above, the sky is a strange tint of teal.

I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched… Oh god, there's two guys walking towards me. They look mean, angry.. And shorter than me.

If I die, tell Gaga that Poker Face was the best song of 2008.

\---

127 HQ TRANSCRIPT - MAY 20, 2019

DY: Some idiot just warped onto the sidewalk near the beach. Someone please collect him.

YT: how did he even get there

YT: you're right there. why don't you do it?

JH: Is that why I started feeling so scared and confused all of a sudden?

MK: Wait… Oh my god, no way.

MK: Jungwoo! It's him!

JW: it is?! Oh my god! Someone go get him!

DY: What are you talking about?

JW: Mark and I had visions during our meditation last night… that someone was going to show up, not knowing anything, and change everything.

TY: and you think this 'idiot' could be the key to stopping WSV?

MK: are you telling me you're not willing to try anything at this point? Winwin literally double crossed us and gave WSV all of our secrets.

JW: Taeyong, please. He landed in OUR city. WSV haven't attacked us in a long time, and they're definitely not here right now. They would never know. We could have the upper hand.

DY: Why do I have to do it? I'm in the middle of some hot fish gossip. They really hate the radioactive shit in the water, you know.

TI: Doyoung.

DY: … Fine.

YT: he's whipped your honor

TY: Yuta, why don't you go join him?

TY: That's an order. :)

YT: …

JH: karma!


	2. Idiot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which Johnny meets the members of 127.

"Hey, you! Standing around like an idiot! Come here, we wanna have a word with you."

Johnny puts down his Motorola Razr, eyes wide in fear as he spots the two men heading towards him at an alarming rate. He backs up slowly, hands up to his chest as he laughs nervously.

"Don't worry guys, I don't mean any harm!" he exclaims, pointing in a random direction, "I'm just trying to.. get back home.. I'm going to go now."

He turns and _runs_ as fast as he can, trying to get as far away from the scary men as possible. He makes the mistake of turning back to see one of them bring his hands together, and when he pulls them away, a blue hologram of handcuffs appears. If he wasn't fearing for his life at this moment in time, he'd find that pretty damn cool.

Unfortunately for him, his thoughts have slowed him down, and when he turns around again to focus on running, the other man is already in front of him, hands in his pockets, unimpressed. He attempts to turn into one of the city alleyways, but trips over a rock, faceplanting straight into the sidewalk. The man in front of him pinches his nose and lets out a deep sigh.

"Wow, you weren't kidding, Doyoung. He really is an idiot." The second voice says, finally catching up. Johnny attempts to get up, but a foot stomps him back into the ground. He lets out a low whimper as the second voice pulls his arms behind him and as he hears the click of the handcuffs.

"They should've sent Jeno. How much do you want to bet they knew he was going to run?"

"It's _karma_ , Yuta. That's why they made us go."

Johnny adjusts so he's sitting cross-legged, staring wide-eyed at the two men towering above him. "W-who are you people? Are you going to kill me?"

The first man pulls off his sunglasses, peering at him through keen eyes, speaking through bunny-like teeth. "I think the better question," he says, folding his sunglasses and putting them in his pocket, "is who are _you?"_

"Johnny Suh. I'm from Chicago."

The second man kicks him to the floor again. "Nice try. Chicago's been ruined for 7 years."

"What?! Chicago is gone?! Where the hell am I?!" Tears start to well up in Johnny's eyes. "Oh my god, my friends are probably gone! Oh my god, my _mom!_ I didn't say goodbye to her! She was going to have dinner with me!"

"How do you not know where you are?! You clearly have teleportation powers!" The first man says, getting visibly frustrated.

"Powers?! No, I don't have.. I'm a _time traveler!_ The hell are you talking about?! No one has powers!"

The two men fall silent, and share a look between each other. Wordlessly, they bring Johnny to his feet. The second man rolls up his sleeve, speaking into a high-tech watch.

"Taeil, we're coming back."

\-----

“Wake up.”

“Oh my god, did you guys knock him out? So rude! We’re the good guys, you know!”

Johnny hears someone snap in front of his face a few times, and slowly opens his eyes. He groans and leans against whatever he’s propped up against, clutching his head as it pulses.

“Why the hell did you handcuff him?! Poor guy probably thinks we’re gonna kill him!”

“That’s funny, he actually said that too.”

“I know! I’m an empath!”

The empath crouches down in front of him, and Johnny pushes himself backwards, confused and afraid. There’s a kind expression on his face as he holds out a hand for Johnny to take.

“Hi, I’m Jaehyun. I’m sorry for what Doyoung and Yuta did to you. There’s no need to be afraid of us.” his words calm Johnny, who slowly relaxes and takes Jaehyun’s hands.

Jaehyun closes his eyes for a moment, reading his aura. When he reopens them, he helps Johnny up.

“Wanna tell us about yourself?”

He casts a knowing glance at the time traveler, gesturing to the remaining four boys in front of them. Johnny notices Doyoung and Yuta are stationed in the back of the room, the former staring out the window, the latter propped against a wall, reading a book.

Johnny’s silent for a bit, taking in the scenery before him. They’re in a light gray room, filled with all sorts of technology he hasn’t seen since _Iron Man_ came out and blew everyone’s minds. It’s futuristic, in a way, but something still feels out of place.

His eyes land on the four in front of him. The two to the left stand with an air of leadership and suspicion. The first one has big anime eyes and childlike curiosity, while the second, shorter one stands with folded arms and a piercing gaze.

The two to the right stare at him with excitement, as if they knew exactly what he was about to say. One with seagull brows, and one with Snoopy-like features.

Ah, Snoopy. Johnny remembers that he left 2008 on a Saturday afternoon, and never had the chance to read the Sunday newspaper comics. What a shame.

“Uhh… I’m Johnny Suh. I’m a time traveler from Chicago.” He flips open his phone, to check the date. “From… Holy shit, it’s been _eleven years???”_

“You’d be surprised how much can change in eleven years, Johnny Suh.” Anime Eyes replies coolly, stepping forward and peering up at him. He holds out a hand, and Johnny shakes it. “Lee Taeyong. Nice to meet you and welcome to 127.”

Short-But-Piercing also steps forward to shake his hand. “Moon Taeil. Welcome to 2019.”

Johnny shakes his hand, too, and Taeil notices his broken watch. “Is this your time travel device?”

“Yes. Somehow it broke and I ended up here.”

Taeyong looks to the side, uneasy. “That could be my fault, actually. I did a summoning ritual for something to help us have the upper hand.”

“He did what?”

“Don’t worry, that’s normal. Taeyong’s a witch.”

“He’s a _what?!”_

Seagull-Brows finally speaks up. “Oh my god, stop freaking him out. He’s still scared and confused.” he waves at Johnny. “I’m Mark. I’m clairvoyant.”

“ _You’re what?!”_

Jaehyun slaps Mark on the shoulder gently. “You just confused him even more! Look at him. He’s from 2008. The last thing he knows is flip phones and Tamagotchis.”

Johnny’s eyes widen and he pales. “ _SHIT! MY TAMAGOTCHI PROBABLY DIED!”_

“Good job, Jae! Now you made him sad!” Mark retorts.

Snoopy shakes his head and pulls out a chair from the conference table behind them. “I’m Jungwoo. Please take a seat, the others will be returning from their mission soon, and we’d like to explain to you exactly what’s going on.”

Thoroughly overloaded by all this information, and unable to stop thinking about his Tamagotchi, Johnny just shakily nods and takes a seat. The rest follow suit, except for Doyoung and Yuta.

“Doyoung, Yuta,” Taeyong growls, eyebrow twitching slightly, “can you _please_ stop putting on this edgy façade and come join us? I’ve had enough.”

Johnny sees Mark and Jungwoo snickering, and Jaehyun smiling knowingly. From the back of the room, Doyoung and Yuta look at each other and sigh, taking their seats at the conference table.

They sit there in silence for a couple of minutes, Johnny watching all of them in confusion. Mark turns to him and smiles gently.

“Give it another thirty seconds. And so you know, Haechan is the loud one, Jeno is the tall, stoic one, and Jaemin has the glasses chain. They’re going to be loud when they come in, just give them a second to notice you and sit down.”

“How do you know that?”

Thirty seconds later, three loud, boisterous boys slam open the door to the conference room, chattering about how their mission was a success, and how _those WSV guys never saw it coming!_ Glasses chain is the first to notice everyone at the conference table, and he smacks the other two to get them to stop talking.

“Haechan, Jeno, Jaemin, welcome back. We have a guest from 2008, please take a seat so we can start explaining things.” Taeil says, gesturing to the empty seats at the conference table.

“No way, 2008?! Nice to meet you!” Haechan waves excitedly, dragging the other two to their seats.

Mark grins and throws finger guns at Johnny. “Clairvoyant.”

—————

“So, I’m from Chicago, in 2008.” Johnny speaks, attempting to steady shaky hands on his cup of water.

“I worked a 9-5 job with the Time Travel department of the city government, and I was in charge of verifying parts of US history. I think I was in the middle of exploring the western part of the States right after we bought it with the Louisiana Purchase, but my full mission details are usually stored in my watch, and, well…” he takes off his watch and puts it at the center of the table, where everyone can see it’s cracked face.

Taeil nods and leans back in his chair. “I see. Jeno, do you recognize this tech? You might be able to repair it.”

Jeno says nothing and reaches for the watch, examining it closely.

Mark decides to join the conversation. “You’re probably wondering why we brought you here, right?” he grins. “Don’t bother, I knew you were about to ask. A lot has happened since 2008, Johnny.”

Johnny tries to maintain his composure at the thought of all the cartoons he’s missing right now. “So, where do we start?”

“2012.”

Taeyong places a firm hand on the table, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. He stands up and begins to pace around the room, while Taeil types into his watch, and a hologram appears in the center of the table, visualizing everything Taeyong says.

“December 21st, 2012. I’m sure everyone here remembers that fateful day.”

A few heads turn towards the floor, some to the windows. Johnny notices how everyone seems visibly more down.

“On December 21st, 2012, Johnny,” Taeyong says, “the world ended.”

Johnny opens his mouth to say something, but he can’t gather his thoughts. He tries multiple times, but nothing comes out.

“It was inevitable. The United States and Russia were right at the beginning of World War III, and nuclear weapons were reigning terror on all continents. And then, on that fateful day, a giant meteor landed on Earth, wiping out all of Europe and spreading a horrible disease throughout the world.”

“Some of us were immune to the disease, but some weren’t. By mid 2013, half of the Earth’s population had been wiped out.”

Johnny stays silent. He can’t even begin to process the emotions he’s feeling, let alone process the information he’s been given. From his left, Jaehyun takes his hand, giving him a comforting squeeze.

“Towards the end of 2013, the world seemed to to unite under the idea of rebuilding. but it became obvious that after the copious amounts of radiation in the air some people were starting to develop special powers.”

Doyoung chimes in. “Not only this, but also some people who took in much radiation and contracted the disease turned into horrible monsters, causing chaos around the world.”

Johnny is mesmerized by the hologram in front of him, showing images of people who know longer have eyes, but instead have neon green goo dripping from their sockets. Taeyong nods at Doyoung and continues.

“Those of us with special powers banded together to form 127, a group of super humans dedicated to protecting the new cities of this world. We're based here, in Neo City, which is the remains of what you once knew as Los Angeles.”

Yuta props his feet up on the table, folding his arms. “The problem here is that we’re not the only group of super humans. WSV, also known as Wei Shen V, or WayV, are another group of super humans who use their powers for evil. They travel the world looking to recruit those with newfound special powers, and teach them to use them for chaos.”

“We are here to stop them.” Taeil speaks, slowly but firmly. “WSV are a force to be reckoned with, and we have been fighting them at every opportunity to ensure their numbers do not grow. But unfortunately, they had help from someone on our side.”

Johnny’s eyes widen and his mouth drops open, scanning the room to see who could be the traitor. Jaehyun’s head drops and his grip on Johnny’s hand tightens.

“My assistant and best friend, Winwin, betrayed us. I knew him for years, before all of this ever happened, and he stole all of our secrets and gave them to WSV.”

“But now,” Taeyong stops pacing the room, standing in front of Johnny with an unreadable smile. “Now, we have the advantage.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this might be a little confusing, so i'll explain their powers in the next chapter! <3


	3. A/N: 127'S Powers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> explaining the powers of 127

Johnny: no powers. can time travel using his watch - said watch is currently busted. :(

Doyoung: can communicate with animals and marine life.

Yuta: can conjure objects, weapons using ESP (psychic abilities)

Taeil: co-leader of 127. intergalactic communication - can feel the energy coming from surrounding planets, and, if he tries hard enough, harvest their energy for other purposes.

Taeyong: co-leader of 127. witchcraft master - uses his powers to conduct spells to defend and protect his members.

Mark: clairvoyant - has visions of future events. can also project memories of members.

Jungwoo: divination - uses meditation, tarot, pendulums, and all forms of divination to predict future events.

Haechan: light manipulation - can conjure orbs of light / modify existing light forms (fire/electric). Can also use light to amplify the powers of his members.

Jeno: super speed/super strength - silent engineer of 127.

Jaemin: telekinesis - often levitates his team members for fun. healer / engineer of 127

Jaehyun: empathy - uses his powers to heal members of 127 physically and mentally.


	4. Patrol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which johnny visits the ruins of santa monica pier with jaehyun and yuta, and runs into some scary monsters (without the nice sprites)

127 HQ MESSAGE TRANSCRIPT

TI: Alright, Johnny Suh from 2008, welcome aboard. Jeno is in charge of repairing your watch, but in the mean time, we've equipped you with one of our smart watches. The tech is pretty advanced, but I think you can manage.

JH: Hey! Give him some credit. The iPhone came out in his year, he knows how to work smart tech!

JJS: I mean.. I have a watch that can literally make me time travel, but go off

HC: Ooh, he's sassy. I like this guy!

TY: Anyway, your first mission is to go out with Yuta and Jaehyun on their patrol.

JH: Don't worry, it'll be easy. Yuta's just going to drive us around the pier and make sure that there's no monsters or other threats.

JJS: uhh, do I need a weapon or something?

YT: LMAO

YT: leave the fighting to me.

JH: Yuta is one of our best fighters. He can handle anything!

YT: and if I REALLY need backup, which I won't, I can conjure weapons for you guys.

JJS: meet us at the garage in five!

YT: hours.

JH: don't confuse him! In five minutes.

JJS: will do!

\---

"What's with that getup? You look like you're in some sort of romantic comedy from 2004."

Johnny bites his lip to gain some courage. "Listen, Mr. Mean Dude Bro, when you're a time traveler you gotta dress the part."

Jaehyun makes eye contact with Johnny in the rear-view mirror, and the time traveler realizes he's been caught in the lie.

"Okay, fine, I read The Time Traveler's Wife and got excited that they were making a movie about it, so I stole the aesthetic for my job. Pretty cool, isn't it?"

"Pretty cheesy."

"Yuta."

Yuta bites his lip and continues driving. Jaehyun pinches his cheek, and turns from the passenger seat to face Johnny, smiling apologetically. "I think this puppy woke up on the wrong side of the bed today."

Johnny shrugs and the car falls silent. Slowly, Johnny recognizes the ruins of Santa Monica Pier coming into view, shocked at what the once-popular tourist spot had become.

It was strange, really, seeing the pier he had such fond memories of now deserted and halfway sunken into the ocean. He remembers when he came here once as a kid, how much he had enjoyed the view from the ferris wheel.

He isn't given much time to lament before the car radio starts buzzing, Mark's voice muffled, and Yuta pulls over to pick up the receiver.

Yuta, Jaehyun. Come in.

"This is Yuta. Over."

We're getting reports that there's some monsters over by the Ferris wheel. Can you take them out?

All three turn towards the Ferris Wheel, noticing an eerie green glow radiating from the base. Johnny's breath catches in his throat, and his eyes slowly turn to the two in front of him. Jaehyun takes the receiver from Yuta, whose bitchy attitude has been replaced with an evil, childlike grin.

"… We see them now. We'll take care of them. Over and out."

Jaehyun slowly places the receiver back in its holster, and immediately grips Yuta's hand tightly. His voice drops low, and Johnny's eyes widen in fear.

"Nakamoto Yuta," he growls, "don't you dare step on that-"

But it's too late, because Yuta's already stepped on the gas pedal. The tires screech as he makes a violent u-turn, gunning straight for the remains of the pier. Johnny clutches on the sides of the car so he doesn't fall over and split his head open.

"Do you understand how long I've been waiting to get some action?!" Yuta giggles, with an almost psychotic demeanor. "It's been weeks! Training with Doyoung got boring!"

Jaehyun shuts his eyes, brows tightly knit together. "Johnny, I am so sorry that you have to go through this on your first mission. He's not normally like this, I promise."

"N-no worries.. Now I know not to get on his bad side.." Johnny laughs nervously.

"It's okay, he only uses his powers on monsters. And WSV."

The car screeches to a halt, perfectly parallel parked at the entrance to the pier. Yuta turns to the two, eyes shining with excitement.

"Wait here."

"Yuta."

"Jaehyun."

"Yuta." Jaehyun grips his wrist again. "Be careful."

Yuta shoots finger guns at him and gets out of the car, slamming the door behind him. Johnny and Jaehyun watch as he brings his hands together, quickly pulling them apart to reveal a blue hologram of a giant scythe. Yuta scampers off towards the Ferris wheel, giggling in excitement.

Within two minutes, he's out of sight, and Jaehyun turns to Johnny.

"Wanna go watch him?"

Johnny, now terrified of three members of 127, nods quickly.

\------

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT

I miss 2008. Jaehyun's a bit of a distance ahead of me, and I really, really don't want to be here. There's an eerie energy in the air, and I can hear monsters in the distance.

{ a loud crash is heard in the background } Oh my god. Yuta just chopped a monster's head off.

{ another crash, followed by a splash } It landed in the ocean. This is so unlike anything I've ever seen.

YT: JUNG JAEHYUN, WHAT DID I FUCKING TELL YOU ABOUT FOLLOWING ME?

Oh, fuck. Yuta saw us and he's pissed.

JH: BEHIND YOU!

Yuta just decapitated another monster. This is so violent. Geez, I've seen so much of US history, yet this is unlike anything I've had experience with. I really, really want to go back to the car. Santa Monica Pier has been ruined for me.

YT: JAEHYUN, HELP ME, YOU ASS! GO BACK TO THE CAR, JOHNNY!

I DON'T HAVE THE KEYS!

YT: FINE! STAY STILL!

Oh my god. There's a bubble around me now. Yuta just conjured a sword for Jaehyun.. They're fighting the monsters with ease. Their chemistry as fighters is so admirable.

\----

The three wordlessly climb back into the car, Yuta and Jaehyun covered in lime green goo.

Johnny looks between the two of them, at Yuta's white knuckles gripping the steering wheel as he drives, and at Jaehyun's gaze turned towards the ground. He leans in between the two of them, pulling the receiver from its hook.

"Mark…?" he says, quietly so as not to disturb the tension between the two.

Is that you, Johnny? How'd it go?

".. We're coming back now."

Text me.

Johnny attempts to tune out the argument Jaehyun and Yuta have as he flips open his Razr to talk to Mark.

\----

TRANSCRIPT BETWEEN JOHNNY AND MARK

MK: Was the mission a success?

JJS: Yeah but Jaehyun and I didn't stay in the car like Yuta told us to and Jaehyun almost got attacked by a monster

JJS: so now they're yelling at each other because jaehyun wanted me to see what the monsters look like in person but yuta wanted us to be safe

MK: oh, that's normal

MK: don't worry, they'll work it out

JJS: really? It's normal for them to just yell at each other like this?

MK: no, jaehyun's just matching yuta's level of emotions with his empathy skills, but when he's tired of it he'll defuse yuta

MK: yuta's quick to anger because he wants everyone to be safe, plus both of them have been on edge ever since we lost winwin

JJS: how did that happen, anyway?

MK: it's.. Not a story that should be told over text

MK: going back to these two, they got pretty close after losing winwin and I think they're just afraid of losing each other now

MK: yuta especially because he knows jaehyun is a little weak. Don't tell him I said that :-)

JJS: I won't :-) they fight really well together despite all the arguing they're doing right now

MK: it's just because they care so much. All of us have lost a lot of people to this whole wwiii/post-apocalypse thing.

MK: oh, you guys should arrive in about 5 minutes. Let those two report to taeil and come find me and jeno in the shop. Jeno has some news on your watch!

JJS: omg! Am I gonna be able to go home?

MK: I don't know, I didn't use my powers to find out.

JJS: really?

MK: sometimes I just want to find the answers naturally! Jungwoo does the same thing. His divination tools tell him everything but sometimes he just lets it be

JJS: I guess sometimes we're better off not knowing

MK: exactly! Oh and don't worry. Yuta and Jaehyun are almost done fighting. They'll make up before they go report to Taeil.

JJS: that's a relief.. They're dead silent right now. This car ride has been so tense

MK: I'll make sure to tell Taeil and Taeyong to not send those two out on patrol together for a while. Sorry you had to put up with that!

MK: Oh, and Jaemin's gonna come get you. Hang tight!

JJS: ok!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope this is enjoyable in this format.. i'm transferring to Ao3 because i'm preparing for when i eventually make my twitter account private. but if you're impatient and want to see how the rest of the story unfolds (so far), check out @_suhyoungho on twitter! 
> 
> \- dray


	5. DREAM

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> johnny learns a little more about the state of his watch from the youngest members of 127.

"Told you they'd get here pretty quickly."

"Mark, please, if you say 'told you' one more time I'm gonna pinch you."

"You're gonna pinch me regardless, just get it over with… Ow!"

A bright-eyed Jaemin pulls Johnny into the shop, excited to begin working with him. Johnny almost trips over his own feet upon entering the room, struggling to gain his balance. A hand reaches to help stabilize him, and Johnny recognizes Mark, beaming back at him.

"Welcome to the shop, Johnny! This is DREAM. We're the youngest members of 127." he says, gesturing to the three boys in front of him.

"You've already met Jaemin - he's our mechanic." Jaemin throws up a peace sign, and a pair of goggles floats towards him, resting on his head. "He has telekinesis, so he really is one of the best guys for the job."

Mark points to the fiery red-haired boy seated cross-legged on top of the counter, playing with an orb of light. "That's Haechan. He has light powers, and he's one of our scouts." Haechan looks up to the two of them, his orb of light glowing a little brighter.

"This is Jeno, he has super strength & speed." Mark points to the boy with his back turned to everyone, shuffling items in the metal cabinets behind them. "He's a scout, mechanic, and engineer all in one." Jeno doesn't turn around, and waves a hand.

"And you know me, of course!" Mark turns to face Johnny, smiling widely. "I'm Mark, the oldest member of DREAM, and their leader. Haechan's about to deny it, but he knows the truth."

"You are NOT-" Haechan's orb disappears and he cuts himself off mid-sentence as he realizes Mark went clairvoyant on him again. "Would you STOP predicting my ass!"

Mark turns to grin back at him. "No."

"Anyway," Jaemin interjects, pulling out a chair for Johnny to sit in. Curiously, he takes a seat, focused on whatever Jeno is tinkering with in the background. "Johnny, we brought you here because we have an update on your watch."

"Really? Can you fix it?"

As if on cue, Jeno finally turns around, lifting his goggles and squinting at the watch he's holding. "It's possible, but I don't have the parts that we need to fix it. We're going to have to travel pretty far to go get the pieces."

Haechan turns to him in excitement. "REALLY? Oh my god, it's been so long since we last left the city. Where are we going?"

The group falls silent, and Mark tenses next to Johnny. The time traveler looks up at him, knowing that he knows the answer, and doesn't like it.

"… We have to go to Las Vegas."

127 MESSAGE CENTER TRANSCRIPT

TY: absolutely not. I refuse to let you guys go to vegas.

JJS: why not? I've always wanted to go. Is it ruined now?

TI: everything has been ruined, johnny suh. Vegas is neutral territory for 127 and WSV, but that doesn't mean that it's completely safe.

TY: all of the negative energy from the gambling and crime that took place in that city magnified the effects of the radiation and the monsters there are really powerful

JM: jeno is coming with us! He can get us out of there in a pinch.

HC: and I'm coming too! I can create distractions easily.

HC: mark's coming too! He'll be able to tell us if there's any monsters nearby!

JW: mark….

MK: I know.

TY: you are Not going to vegas, and that's final. I'll contact the other cities to see if they have the part you need.

JN: I already did that, and it's only in vegas. Trust me taeyong, I don't want to go there either, but there's no other way.

JM: you said it yourself. Johnny could be the key to stopping WSV once and for all. Isn't now the time to move forward and do what we have to?

HC: he's right! We can't just avoid this forever. WSV are out there growing their forces everyday, and what are we doing? Scouting and patrolling. That can only get us so far.

TI: how exactly do you plan on getting there?

JN: the teleportation system. All of us have functions programmed into our watches to take us back home as soon as we're done. You know this.

JM: jeno and I have been doing maintenance on it and it's 100% functional and ready to go.

DY: Taeyong, they have a point. We can't just sit in this state of limbo forever.

JM: I asked my pendulum and, it looks like this is the right way to go. Just… be careful when you guys go, okay?

TY: …

TY: Taeil?

TI: this is the path the stars have laid out for us. So be it.

HC: YES!! We won't let you down!

TY: come back safe, please.

JW: don't worry taeyong. They will

TY: johnny, I'm going to give you a protection spell. Jaehyun, make sure they're equipped with whatever weapons they need.

JH: will do!

JJS: weapons? What kind?

JH: nothing too out of the ordinary! Vegas is highly concentrated with monsters. I have no doubts you'll run into them.

JH: Kids and Johnny, meet me in the armory!

HC: on the way!


	6. take off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ready for take off?

FOUR DAYS LATER - 127 MESSAGE CENTER TRANSCRIPT

TI: today's the day, are all of you prepared?

JM: yes! Jeno and I did final maintenance and testing on the teleportation system, and everyone's watches.

JN: everyone has been equipped with a backup return device in case the watches don't work, but they will.

MK: Jaehyun has equipped us with weapons too!

TY: johnny… do you know how to use a weapon?

JJS: … yes? I've had weapons training for almost every era of US history. It's a requirement for my job.

TY: Mark, is he lying?

MK: Taeyong I think he's more well equipped than the rest of us when it comes to non-superhuman things

MK: I've never seen anyone wield a bayonet that well in this age

JJS: 2008 was a fantastic time. :-)

TY: … Okay…

TI: who's going to operate the teleportation system while your team is gone?

JM: jungwoo has been trained on how to operate it, and we build in a voice guide for anyone in case anything goes wrong.

JN: we're prepared :-)

TI: alright kids.

TY: do you have snacks? How long are you going to be in Vegas? Where in Vegas are you going?

HC: OMG MOM. Yes we have snacks. We'll be in Vegas only for the day, and we're going to the M Casino.. Or at least, what was the M casino.

JJS: wait, what's the M casino? Is that on the strip?

HC: Nope, it's way further south.

TY: You're not going to the strip?! Why didn't you tell me this?!

MK: You weren't going to let us go either way, so there was no point

TY: … Of course you knew that.

JN: The M is the tech hub, and it's technically still on Las Vegas Boulevard, but it's so far south of the strip that we shouldn't come into contact with monsters. Keyword… Shouldn't.

JM: there's a lot more to vegas than you thought, huh? Hehe

JJS: I'm kinda disappointed …

HC: Don't be. There's still a lot of interesting people at the M so we're gonna have a good time.

TI: We'll see you in the teleportation room in five minutes.

HC: Yeeeeeeehaw!

HC: ah, I miss Dallas. I made myself sad.

\-----

The teleportation room is huge, with a perfect view of the ocean. Johnny quietly follows the four kids to the center of the room, where Taeyong, Taeil, and Jungwoo are standing. Jungwoo offers a soft smile and a wave, while Taeil and Taeyong are tense and silent. 

Haechan skips up to them, enveloping Taeil in a hug. “Aren’t you excited for us?! We might have the upper hand pretty soon!” 

Taeil looks at the younger, eyebrows furrowed but a small smile threatening to break his facade. “You know I love you guys, but I’m worried. We haven’t been to Vegas in over a year, and things could’ve changed.”

Johnny watches as Jeno and Jaemin review things with Jungwoo one last time, while Taeil and Haechan continue to converse. Mark pats him on the arm gently, in an attempt to calm his nerves. 

“I know you’re from a whole different time, before everything got... strange. And I’m sure you’ve had your fair share of fights during your work, but I just want to make sure you’re mentally prepared for whatever we come up against.” Mark says, offering him a worried smile. 

Johnny looks down to him, comforted by his words. “Thanks, Mark. I really appreciate that.” He looks to the pistol strapped to his belt, to the blade strapped across his thigh. “I did come across a few fights, but i know nothing can prepare me for what’s about to come. I just hope everything goes right.”

“It should and it will. Taeyong always casts a protection spell for us before we go on missions, and it’s always been successful.” Mark smiles up at him, shooting him a thumbs up. “Don’t you worry, we’re going to get the parts we need and stop this war once and for all.”

As if summoned, Taeyong walks up to the two of them, arms folded and eyes full of stress. Johnny looks to him curiously, and the leader pulls a jar out of his jacket pocket, handing it to Johnny. 

“Take this, and make sure you don’t lose it.” He speaks firmly, pressing the jar into the time traveler’s hands. “This is the protection spell I created for you last night. I did it under the full moon, so it’s charged full of positive energy. You’ll be safe as long as you guys stay together.”

Johnny’s about to ask why Taeyong is treating this like its a trip that they may never come back from, but Mark squeezes his arm and interrupts. “Don’t worry Taeyong, we’ll stick together. I’ll bring everyone back in one piece.” 

Taeyong nods at Mark quickly, and turns to look deep into Johnny’s eyes. 

“Be safe. You’re our only hope, Johnny Suh.”

The leader doesn’t say another word, just turns and walks back to where Taeil and Jungwoo are standing, behind the control panel. Johnny and Mark hear the remaining three yelling for them to step up to the platform, and they walk to join them. 

“So, how does this teleportation thing work?” Johnny asks Jeno and Jaemin. The two grin at each other and back at Johnny. 

“Have you ever been bungee jumping? It’s like that. You just close your eyes and dive right in, but make sure you land on your feet.” Jaemin replies excitedly. 

“What?”

“You’ll see.” Jeno offers a reassuring, crescent-eyed smile that does nothing to ease Johnny’s nerves. 

Suddenly, the machine roars to life, causing him to jump. From behind them, Jungwoo yells, “Everyone take your places! Take off is commencing in 1 minute.”

The five boys stand in a circle around the teleportation pad, holding hands and waiting for the portal to open. Johnny looks to Mark on his left, and Jaemin on his right, swallowing nervously through sweaty hands. The machine grows louder and louder, and Johnny can’t even hear his thoughts anymore. 

“Portal opening in thirty seconds!” Jungwoo yells. Haechan lets out a hoot, followed by an excited cheer from Mark and Jaemin. 

Johnny can’t even hear himself thinking anymore. Slowly but surely, the platform at the center of their feet begins to open, a portal of vivid colors swirling beneath them. His heart falls to his ass as he realizes how much the world has changed since 2008. 

Damn, he misses his Tamagotchi. 

“Ten seconds!”

The vivid colors beneath them start to morph into the remains of Las Vegas, the once bright blue desert sky now a deep teal. He looks to Mark one last time, who nods and mouths don’t let go! 

“DREAM, you are cleared for take off! Go!”

Johnny shuts his eyes and screams as he jumps in, feeling the rush of the wind, seeing crazy colors in his mind. His grip on Mark and Jaemin is sickeningly tight, as he chants in his thoughts, don’t let go. Don’t let go. Don’t let go. 

And then there’s silence, and he blacks out. 


	7. vegas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> welcome to las vegas, home of got7 :D

“Oh my god, he’s dead. We killed him.”

“No he’s not. Give him a second.”

“I told him to land on his feet…”

Johnny’s eyes open slowly to four curious faces staring back at him. He opens his mouth to speak, but a shooting pain runs through him and he clutches his head, groaning.

“Did we make it…?” He manages to ask through half-open eyes, trying to distinguish Mark from the remaining three.

“I’m extremely sweaty right now… we definitely made it,” Jaemin quips. “Jeno, how hot is it?”

Jeno checks his watch, and his eyes widen in alarm. “115 degrees Fahrenheit and steadily increasing. Let’s go inside! Hurry!”

Mark and Haechan struggle to pick up the time traveler, and the five make their way into the ruins of the once-luxurious M Casino. Once inside, they prop Johnny up against a wall, and Haechan pulls a few items out of his bag.

Johnny slowly blinks at him. “What’re you.. Doing…?” He manages to ask. He shuts his eyes and yells out in pain as the throbbing suddenly increases, clutching his head between both of his hands.

“Fixing you, genius! You’re not accustomed to teleportation so you’re experiencing probably the worst jet lag of all of us.” Haechan clicks his tongue and pours some fluid into a syringe, flicking it a couple of times to get rid of the bubbles.

He pulls Johnny’s arms away from his head staring at him as he instructs Mark to hold him back. An orb emits a warm glow from his palm, Johnny’s eyes immediately drawn to it.

“Focus on this, okay? It’s going to be a little pinch and then we’re done. Jeno, Jaemin, make sure we’re safe, please.” Haechan instructs the others while Mark watches the entrance.

“What’re you- Ow! _Fuck!”_ Johnny yelps at the pinch, eyes widening in pain and shoulders tensing up. He can literally feel the medicine coursing through his body, the throbbing in his head slowly leaving.

“Hey, no swearing! There’s kids here!” Mark whines, letting go of Johnny’s arms. The time traveler drags his hands across his face in disbelief. Within seconds, he feels like he never even jumped through a weird portal.

Mark and Haechan help Johnny up, who’s still staring at his hands in confusion, wondering how the pain left so quickly. Jeno and Jaemin return, and the three join them as they lead the way to the tech hub.

They walk for a couple of minutes in silence, no signs of human life anywhere. Johnny examines his surroundings, noting how some of the plants outside have literally melted due to the extreme heat. The area they’re walking through seems to be deserted, until they finally reach translucent black glass doors.

Jaemin turns around and smiles at Johnny, spreading an arm wide as he moves to open the door.

“Welcome.. To Vegas.”

——

Johnny’s jaw drops as he’s met with slot machines that seem to go on with no end, hundreds of people glued to their bright screens, and the odd sight of.. Plants.

Plants litter the area, overgrown wherever there isn’t a slot machine. Vines of grapes and other foods hang from the ceiling, the casino goers pulling from them to take a snack every now and then. There’s a scent of cigarette smoke hanging in the air, and Johnny has to cover his mouth to keep from inhaling too much.

It doesn’t make sense, he muses. How could life be thriving inside of this casino, while the rest of the world is ruined? It’s almost as if these people never even knew the world ended seven years ago.

Mark pokes him on the shoulder, explaining as Jeno and Jaemin continue to lead the way. “This area is run by an independent government called GOT7. Their extensive knowledge of technology has helped them create an indoor agriculture system that prevents people who live here from ever having to leave the casino. The people here don’t earn real currency on the slot machines, so gambling is just to pass time and keep them occupied.”

“And they kept smoking _legal…?_ ”

“No, that’s just embedded in the walls. They’re working on a solution to get rid of the scent so their people live longer.” Mark points to the area they’re headed to. “Over there is the tech hub, where one of the government officials is in charge of parts sale and exchange. His name is Jackson.”

Johnny just nods in silence, unsure of how to respond. He continues to observe his surroundings, taking note of the palm trees growing indoors, and the various plants seeming on the outskirts of the slot machines. The casino is busy, and if you ignore the plants, it’s almost as if Vegas never got destroyed.

“Weird, right?” Haechan pipes up. “It’s amazing how innovative GOT7 are. And they’re so giving. They just share their technology with any city that needs it.”

“But, why Vegas? The conditions outside are literally unlivable. Why don’t they just move their city somewhere else?”

“This really is the safest place for technology.” He replies, “Vegas has the least natural disasters of everywhere that was the US, and ever since the meteor, all the natural disasters have increased thirtyfold.”

“It doesn’t make sense… why is LA…?”

“Listen, boy, we could spend all day answering your questions, but we have a problem to solve! We can’t spend all of our time here.” Haechan points to the convention center, re-labeled ’WANG TECH.’ “We're here. Let’s go!”

Mark freezes in his steps, and the four turn to face him. ”Whats wrong?” Jeno asks.

Mark shakes his head, not willing to give an answer. “Jeno… just keep a clear head while we’re here, okay?”

Jeno squints in confusion, but nods anyway. They continue on ahead, but Mark turns to Johnny and Haechan.

“Something’s about to happen, and it’s not going to be pretty. I’m warning you now, we may have to fight but stay on your toes and be ready to teleport back at any moment. Okay?”

Johnny and Haechan swallow in fear. “…okay.”

\----------

127 LEADERS MESSAGE CENTER TRANSCRIPT

TY: Hello?! Why haven't you checked in with us?!

TY: Did you make it there safe??? Is Johnny okay?? Did he get jet lag??

MK: his jet lag was pretty bad, but it's all good

MK: well. No. it's not all good. As soon as we got closer to the tech hub I got this vision that someone else is here with us. Someone Jeno is not going to be happy to see.

TY: Oh no.. WSV are there, aren't they?

TI: Do not let Jeno engage with them.

MK: we're about to walk into Wang Tech. I told Johnny and Haechan to stay alert just in case Jeno goes wild

MK: they're both ready to teleport home just in case.

TY: Shouldn't you alert Jaemin too?

MK: I already went through that scenario in my head. If I tell Jaemin, then he's gonna tell Jeno, and Jeno is gonna go on a rampage looking for him.

MK: I'm keeping an eye on Jeno, and Haechan is keeping an eye on Jaemin.

MK: we're ready to teleport them back just in case.

TI: Keep us updated, please.

TY: and keep johnny safe! Hide him from WSV if you see them. They can't know that we have an advantage.

MK: I don't want to extend this trip any more than we already have. Johnny has so many questions about how Vegas is alive and thriving.

TY: We can answer those questions when you get home! Just focus on getting back here in one piece.

MK: Okay Mom!!

—————

A loud chime resounds through the store as they enter, and Johnny can’t help but marvel at how much bigger the store is on the inside. The space itself seems to be a former gift shop, with the racks of what was once souvenirs now filled with various items of tech. Circuit boards litter the walls, various LED bulbs glowing bright colors of red, green, and blue.

“Well, hello there boys! What can I do for ya?” The shopkeeper steps out of the back, lifting up his goggles and putting down a soldering iron. Jeno and Jaemin wave at him, while the remaining three stay to the back.

“Nice to see you, Jackson. I’m looking for this part, do you have it in stock?” Jeno types into his watch, and in a few seconds, a hologram of the part he needs projects onto the counter between them.

Johnny takes note of how uneasy Mark looks, and how Haechan squeezes his arm to try and get him to calm down. They stay close to Jeno and Jaemin just in case.

Jackson squints at the hologram for a second, eyes brightening as he recognizes the part. “I do! Give me a couple of minutes, it’s in the back.”

He returns to the back, and the boys hear a bunch of rummaging with metal and some muffled voices. Jeno’s eyes turn to the counter, picking up a few of the LED bulbs, examining them absentmindedly. Suddenly, Mark’s eyes widen in alarm and he starts to aggressively tug at Johnny. The time traveler looks down at him in confusion, and Mark leans in to whisper to him.

“The thing I was worried about happening, is going to happen in one minute. I need you to get out of the store now and hide. As soon as you hear yelling, you teleport back to base, got it? Haechan and I are going to try and minimize the damage.” Mark’s eyes are fearful, almost pleading. Johnny takes the hint and exits the store as quietly as he can, hiding a few feet away, although he can still hear the commotion outside.

“Who’s out there, ge?” An unfamiliar voice asks.

“Just a customer. Give me a couple minutes with them and then I can finish your project!” Jackson’s voice replies.

“Splendid.”

As if on cue, Jeno is immediately thrown into a fit of rage, clenching the bulbs so tightly that they shatter in his fist. Mark and Haechan nod to each other, and the two immediately step closer to Jeno and Jaemin, holding their wrists as they prepare for what’s about to come.

Jackson walks back out with the part, smiling kindly. “This is what you needed, right?”

“Yes it is! How much do we owe you?” Jaemin replies, trying his best to ignore the rage brewing next to him.

“Ten bitcoin.”

Jaemin taps his watch a few times and then nods at Jackson. “Just transferred it. Thank you so much! Have a great day.”

Jackson nods at them politely, and they turn to make their way out of the store. Jeno hasn’t moved, and Mark has to pull him, smiling and laughing nervously to the confused Jackson in front of them.

“Oh. It’s those 127 losers. Who would’ve guessed?”

Jaemin stops in his tracks, and Mark’s heart stops as he feels Jeno tense up even more.

“… Renjun…?”

“RENJUN, YOU FUCKING SNAKE.” Jeno turns around, almost knocking Mark to the floor, fists clenched as he spits out the name. Mark panics and grabs onto Jeno once more, fiddling with the settings on his watch.

Renjun smiles at Jeno through cruel eyes, another figure behind him staring at the situation in confusion. “Never thought I’d see you again, really. Funny how fate works, isn’t it?”

“Get the fuck out of here before I rip you in half.”

Mark squeezes his eyes shut and looks at Haechan, making sure they’re both on the same wavelength. On his side, Jaemin is frozen in fear, blood running cold as he watches the standoff.

“Didn’t you know? GOT7 just signed a deal with WSV.” Renjun purrs. “So, technically, you’re in _our_ territory, and you’re the one who needs to ‘get the fuck out.’” He says through air quotes.

Jeno growls. “Mark. Let go of me.”

“N-no.”

Jeno turns towards Mark, fire in his eyes. “Mark. Don’t make me hurt you.”

“Jeno, n-no. Don’t do this.”

“Lucas, escort them out.” The figure moves from behind Renjun, who smiles at them and waves. “Bye bye, Jeno.”

“NOW! NOW! DO IT NOW!!!”

Jeno lets out an angry roar, Mark panicking as he hits the switch. At the same time, Haechan hits Jaemin’s switch, and the four boys teleport out of there.

Johnny hears the roar, followed by a giggle from this Renjun person, and decides its better that he stay out of this. He smacks his watch and teleports out of there immediately.

\--------

Back at the 127 hub, the teleportation system whirs to life, spitting the five boys up like a geyser. All of them land directly on their asses, except for Johnny, who lands flat on his stomach. Jaemin latches onto Jeno like a koala, refusing to let go until the latter calms down.

Taeyong and Taeil rush over to them, immediately crouching down to check for wounds.

"What the hell happened?! I told you guys to be careful! Is anyone hurt?" Taeyong immediately blasts them with a million questions, mom-mode activated.

Johnny blinks rapidly as he remembers the jar in his pocket. He pulls it out, dazed, and hands it to Taeyong, who smiles knowingly.

"WSV were there," Mark replies, rubbing his eyes and attempting to stand up. "They had Jackson working on some sort of device for them, but we don't know what."

"They don't know about Johnny, right?"

"No. But they did tell us that WSV and GOT7 signed a pact... Vegas is now WSV territory." Haechan replies, worried. Everyone falls silent and looks up to Taeil, whose relaxed posture betrays the stress all over his face.

Their leader sighs as he looks to the ceiling, throwing his arms up in frustration. He paces around the room, deep in thought. "How could this have happened? We signed a treaty in Vegas.. What could they possibly have offered WSV that would make them override that?"

"Well, Jackson seemed to be pretty normal. He was talking to WSV like they were friends.." Haechan remarks.

A light bulb goes off in Mark's mind, and he turns to dash out of the room. "I have a theory, but I need to check with Jungwoo to see if it's right."

"Wait, where are you going?! We’re not done here!" Taeyong yells after him. Mark stops in the entrance to look back at Taeyong, face deadly serious.

"What if GOT7 didn't sign that pact willingly. What if.. What if they were under someone's influence?"

Taeil and Taeyong stop pacing as they realize what Mark's implying. "You don't mean..."

"It's the only logical explanation.

All three of them speak at the same time.

"Ten."


	8. time travel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taeyong leans against the table, folding his arms as he peers curiously at Johnny. "What do you know about time travel?"
> 
> Taeil squints and turns to Taeyong. "Are you seriously asking a time traveler that?"

Johnny peeks his head through the entrance to the conference room, mid-bite into a banana when Taeyong spots him, waving at him to come in. Taeil is seated cross-legged on the table, rubbing his chin vigorously as he stares at the hologram of the earth in front of him. Johnny notices how there's a huge crater where Europe once was, and he shudders as he remembers the story of how the world ended.

"Nice of you to join us, Johnny Suh." Taeil says, looking up from his studies to greet the time traveler. Johnny waves and nods, and Taeil turns back to studying the earth.

"What did you guys need me for?"

Taeyong leans against the table, folding his arms as he peers curiously at Johnny. "What do you know about time travel?"

Taeil squints and turns to Taeyong. "Are you seriously asking a time traveler that?"

"Hey, I'm covering all my bases here."

Johnny smiles at the banter between the two and tosses his banana into the trash. He pulls a chair out from the conference table, planting himself in it, feet propped up on the chair next to him. "Well, where do you want me to start? There's a lot of rules and regulations."

"Anything, really. I just want to know what we're working with here." Taeyong replies. Taeil types into his watch, and the hologram disappears, leaving him to focus fully on Johnny.

Johnny runs a hand through his hair, sighing. "Well, the biggest rule of time travel is that you can only go back to the past. From what I remember, in 1980 the Global Association of Time Travel all agreed to never go to the future."

Taeil raises an eyebrow. "And everyone just, agreed? No one has ever contested it since?"

"The GAT was formed in 1980, so yeah. And lots of people have contested it, but they just. Never came back." Johnny leans back in his chair. "And now that I'm here in 2019, I understand why. I don't think I'd ever be able to come back to my job knowing that everything will just go to shit in four years."

Johnny notices that the two leaders' expressions dim as they realize what situation they put him in. He says nothing, opting to let them reflect for a moment, and pulls the pitcher of water off of the conference table and pouring himself a cup, taking one long sip.

"It is what it is," Johnny remarks, pulling them back out of their thoughts. "Second rule of time travel is that you can't change the past. Doing that creates alternate timelines that break the stability of the main timeline. And seeing what's happened now, I have no doubt in my mind that someone, or multiple people, changed things in the past."

"And you can't go back and change what they changed?" Taeil asks.

"Nah, it's impossible to keep track. And if you go back and change what they changed, it just creates another alternate timeline, stemming off of that one." Johnny sees the blank looks on their faces. "Think of it like a tree. When you water the tree, more roots grow, and then roots grow from those roots. Kinda like that."

Taeyong makes a face and nods. "Understood." he taps at his watch and brings up the hologram of the earth again, enlarging it so they're only viewing North America. He taps where Las Vegas is, and the dot that was once the city turns red.

"So, the reason we asked you to come over is because we need to figure out how we can use your powers to gain an advantage over WSV. Mark and Jungwoo confirmed that Ten really was responsible for Vegas, and it's clear they're starting to take a more aggressive approach to their agenda." he says, falling back into a chair and huffing.

"First off, I don't have powers. All these 'powers' you keep mentioning are in my watch. I'm just a regular dude. Like. Like Sokka in Avatar." Johnny reiterates, taking another sip from his water. "Secondly, who is this Ten guy? And what powers does he have?"

Taeyong falls eerily silent. Taeil looks at his co-leader pointedly, while the other folds his arms and pouts.

"Taeyong, he's going to have to learn all of our backstories eventually. He's one of us now."

Taeyong sighs and makes a face. "Fine… Ten and I were roommates in college. We were really, really close, like we did everything together. And then after we graduated, he moved back to Thailand, then the world ended, and the next time I saw him he was alone, in the ruins of a Seoul subway station, fighting monsters."

"But…" Taeil urges him to continue.

"But.. he wasn't fighting the monsters. And he wasn't alone, he was with Kun, the leader of WSV. And I was with Taeil, and then they spotted us, and we fought in the subway like we didn't go through five years of hell back in college. Like I was nothing to him."

"Because…"

Taeyong shuts his eyes, brow twitching. "Because, Taeil, he doesn't remember me. His powers gave him amnesia." 

Johnny's mouth falls open, completely taken aback by that story. Taeyong covers his face with his hands, letting out a deep sigh. Taeil pats him on the shoulder gently.

"Sorry, Taeyong, he has to know." he turns to Johnny, expression unreadable. "Ten is naturally charming, so he rarely has to use his powers. That's how so many cities in Eastern Asia have agreed to be under WSV control, and they rarely have to go overseas because of it. But GOT7 have always been persistent on staying a neutral city, for as long as they've been around. That's how we know Ten had to use his powers."

"Does he control the monsters, too?"

Taeil nods. "He has the capabilities to control a monster army that can invade cities that don't comply with their rule." he hops off of the conference table and starts pacing around the room, adjusting his glasses, chain jingling. "This is why their sudden control over Vegas is so alarming. What could they possibly need on our side of the world?"

Taeyong drags his hands across his face, staring at the ceiling. "I think we need to visit all of the neutral cities on our hemisphere and do some research. Something isn't right. Taeil, can you check the planetary energy tonight as well?"

Taeil doesn't get a chance to reply when Jaehyun bursts into the room, looking panicked and out of breath. The two leaders and the time traveler look towards him with curiosity.

"We have a problem. Doyoung is injured.. WSV attacked him."


End file.
